Felice Tantardini

Arriving in Burma in 1922, Brother Felice Tantardini dedicated nearly seventy years of his life to the service of the local populations. Nicknamed the "Blacksmith of God," he placed his exceptional manual skills at the service of the Church. Although he had limited schooling, he proved to be an outstanding builder. He worked successively in several missions: in Toungoo, in Kalaw (where he built a school), in Mandalay, in Loilem (where he made 300 iron beds for a leper colony), in Bhamo under the Japanese occupation, and finally in Taunggyi where he participated in the construction of the cathedral. Versatile, he worked as a blacksmith, carpenter, mason, electrician, and catechist, traveling long distances through the jungle to reach isolated communities.

Brother Felice Tantardini enjoyed a constant reputation for holiness among Christians, Buddhists, and Muslims, who were drawn by his humility and communicative joy. At the age of 85, he agreed to obey his superiors by ceasing heavy manual labor to devote himself fully to contemplative prayer and welcoming visitors. He passed away peacefully on March 23, 1991, in Taunggyi, at the age of 92. His funeral attracted a vast, multi-faith crowd. He was buried in the garden of the "Infant Jesus of Prague" center for the disabled in Payaphyu, a place that quickly became a center of pilgrimage.

The cause for the beatification of Felice Tantardini was initiated by the PIME in 2000. The Holy See granted the nihil obstat on May 23, 2000, conferring upon him the title of Servant of God. The diocesan inquiry took place in Taunggyi and Milan between 2001 and 2002, and its validity was confirmed by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in 2005. On June 11, 2019, Pope Francis authorized the promulgation of the decree recognizing the heroic nature of his virtues, officially declaring him Venerable.

The spirituality of Felice Tantardini rests on the intimate union of manual labor and prayer, guided by his motto: 'Strive to be happy, always and at all costs, and work to make others happy.' He considered his daily toil at the anvil as a continuous prayer. Deeply Marian, he recited three rosaries a day. He led a life of extreme poverty, sleeping on a straw mat and treating his ailments through fasting. Known for his picturesque attachment to his pipe, he would respond with humor to those who worried about it regarding his canonization. His autobiography, written out of obedience and titled 'Il fabbro di Dio', bears witness to his joyful missionary zeal.